By: Elaine Brennerman

A chilling confrontation in a Manhattan park has drawn national attention after an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot in the face by an illegal immigrant with a lengthy criminal record – an incident that underscores growing concerns about violent crime and immigration enforcement in New York City. According to a report that appeared in The New York Post on Sunday, the attack unfolded late at night along the Hudson River in Fort Washington Park and ended with both the agent and the gunman hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

The assailant, identified by law enforcement sources as 21-year-old Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a Dominican national, allegedly targeted the federal agent and his female companion in a brazen armed robbery. As The New York Post reported, Mora, riding a moped with an accomplice, ambushed the couple just before midnight on Saturday.

Police sources told The New York Post that after a brief exchange and physical struggle, Mora opened fire, striking the 42-year-old agent in the face and forearm. Despite his injuries, the off-duty officer managed to return fire, hitting Mora multiple times. The suspected assailant later walked into a Bronx hospital seeking treatment and was placed in custody. The second suspect remains at large.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to The Post that the injured federal agent is in stable condition and undergoing surgery. The agency did not release the officer’s name but acknowledged that he was a member of the U.S. Border Patrol and had acted in self-defense during the attack.

Mora’s presence in the United States traces back to an illegal crossing at the southern border in April 2023 – a fact confirmed by DHS officials. Sources familiar with the case told The Post that Mora was released into the country due to overcrowding at a border detention facility and was issued a notice to appear before a judge at a later date.

Mora’s subsequent record in New York raises sharp questions about the city’s handling of repeat offenders. According to law enforcement sources cited in The Post report, Mora had been arrested at least four times in the city, only to be released without bail after each incident. Among the most alarming charges were two arrests in August 2024, one involving an alleged assault on a pregnant woman and another in which Mora reportedly threatened a fellow migrant with a machete.

In November 2024, Mora was again arrested for violating an order of protection, and by January of this year, he had a bench warrant issued for his arrest, according to information obtained by The Post. Authorities also confirmed that Mora was wanted in Massachusetts on kidnapping and weapons charges at the time of his latest encounter with law enforcement.

The violent episode in Fort Washington Park highlights what The Post has consistently characterized as a pattern of systemic failure – both in the federal immigration system and in New York City’s approach to criminal justice. The fact that Mora remained free despite a documented history of violent behavior and multiple arrests has intensified scrutiny of the city’s no-bail policies.

Law enforcement officials expressed frustration over Mora’s repeated releases. One officer noted that Mora’s ability to remain at large, despite multiple arrests and pending charges in other states, represented a “breakdown at every level” of the system.